81. Whistle Down the Wind, Tender Mercies, Groundhog Day

TONIGHT, she is our resident musical expert, she’s our resident romantic movie expert and still manages to have a nifty sideline in boys movies. Tonight she takes us through Hayley Mills finding Jesus in a Barn, Robert Duvall drinking and singing about the American South years before Jeff bridges pulled off the same trick, and Bill Murray waking up, and waking up and yet again waking up in a small town in Pennsylvania. Welcome to the Sharon Bollen takeover of They Don’t make ‘em Like they used to.Welcome back to a very special edition of They Don’t Make ‘Em Like They Used To, broadcast from Sunshine Radio at St Mary's Hospital on the Isle of Wight. After a month-long hiatus while host Tosin Ajayi was busy dodge-rolling away from galloping horses on a film set in Wales, the team returns for a deep dive into cinema history.In this episode, resident musical and romantic movie expert Sharon Bollen takes the reins, curating a selection of films centered on the powerful theme of redemption.Bonafide Classic: Whistle Down the Wind (1961)Directed by Bryan Forbes and starring a young Hayley Mills, this poignant film tells the story of three innocent children who discover a fugitive hiding in their family barn and mistake him for Jesus Christ. We discuss the film’s powerful religious symbolism and its snapshot of rural Lancashire life in the early 60s.Hidden Gem: Tender Mercies (1983)Sharon brings us a 1980s treasure featuring an Oscar-winning performance by Robert Duvall. Duvall plays Max Sledge, a washed-up country singer struggling with alcoholism who finds a second chance at life and love at a remote Texas motel. Fun fact: the team even has a close encounter with the film’s director, Bruce Beresford, at a local film quiz!.Exception to the Rule: Groundhog Day (1993)Breaking our "pre-1980" rule, we explore this modern masterpiece starring Bill Murray. Sharon and Tosin discuss the film’s evolution from cynical comedy to a deep, philosophical journey of self-improvement, and attempt to do the math on just how many decades Phil Connors might have spent trapped in that Pennsylvania time loop.Note: Due to licensing restrictions, the music tracks featured in this episode—including the works of Malcolm Arnold and Robert Duvall’s country vocals—have been edited out of this recording.Join us for a journey of faith, music, and time-loops as we celebrate the classics!